Camarines Sur town inmates paint as Lenten reflection

HOLY FACE Inmates at Libmanan District Jail in Camarines Sur paint the image of Jesus Christ as their way of remembering His sacrifices during Holy Week. —PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBMANAN DISTRICT JAIL

LIGAO CITY, Albay, Philippines — For eight inmates of the district jail in Libmanan town of Camarines Sur province, the Lenten season meant reflecting on the sacrifices of Jesus Christ through painting.

Using natural materials like coffee, plant resin, flowers, fruits, annatto (“atsuete”) seeds, and honey for pigment, seven male inmates and one female inmate created paintings of Jesus’ face, depicting the passion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, drawing from what they learned in the art classes they have taken since 2019.

“This is their way of showing their strong faith and love to God, particularly this Lenten season,” said their art teacher, Jail Officer Mac Allison Calleja.

Calleja, a painter who joined the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in 2011, said he decided to share his knowledge to the inmates “in order to keep them busy, kill the boredom and become productive while inside the jail.”

Exhibit

Calleja, 35, who belongs to a group of Bicolano artists and had previously mounted his own art exhibits, said he had been teaching the art class to the jail’s inmates since 2019 using acrylic, soil, and plant pigments.

Calleja said the inmates he taught to paint were jailed over drug cases, acts of lasciviousness, and murder. The inmates’ paintings will be showcased at Libmanan District Jail in August this year, Calleja said.

The paintings, which will be framed, will be sold for P1,000 to P2,000 under the “Pagasang Dala ng Likha” (hope through masterpieces) project.

The proceeds from the paintings will be used as payment for bails or fines of deserving persons deprived of liberty.

“The patience and perseverance in teaching and motivating paid off because they are now certified artists,” Calleja added.

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